


When The Darkness Comes

by magikce



Category: Minho (Maze Runner) - Fandom, The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-05-28 23:07:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15059825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magikce/pseuds/magikce
Summary: Maria dreamt of nothing but to live in peace and the dream comes true inside the Glade. However, the skies have turned gray, the walls are down. It's now in the hands of the gladers to choose their own path and write their own stories. As Minho leads her to his dream outside the walls, Maria finds herself torn between his own choice and hers.





	1. FLOAT

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for checking this book! 3 things before you read this book:
> 
> 1\. this is another one of my summer projects (in which i continue a discontinued story i did back when i was waaaay younger) so there may be some outdated things.
> 
> 2\. i was heavily inspired on shelby merry's song "when the darkness comes" (listen to it!!!). hence the title, and lastly;
> 
> 3\. details and scenes are taken from both the book and the movie so some story parts may ring a bell from either of the two!
> 
> that's it folks! and pls do enjoy the book, thank you!
> 
> p.s. a copy of this fanfic/short story is also on wattpad, i just wanted to try my hand here on ao3 since i'm so foreign to this workplace even though, i've heard about this 4 years ago lol (plus i love making covers for the stories, which idk yet if i can do here)

Maria's pessimistic thoughts staggered across her mind as she thought about Minho and Alby outside the Maze but mostly- of Minho. They should've been back in the Glade for hours. He went to Newt to keep him company.

"How long have they been there?" She asked as she glanced at Newt who was unable to look back at her.

"Four hours." He said biting his fingernails.

"What's taking them so long?" She whispered to herself. Just as the question crossed her mind, they heard a faint a scream from the West Door and immediately ran towards it.

"They got him!" Minho shouted from the long corridor shadowing with darkness.

"MINHO!" Maria screamed and tried to run towards Minho who was dragging Alby's half-lifeless body but Newt pulled him, preventing her from taking any step further.

The doors were closing but they were still a hundred feet away.

"NO! MINHO!" She cried and as the doors grew closer to each other, she saw the green bean broke into a run. Newt suddenly dropped his arms from her and ran towards the closed doors and fell onto his knees as he groaned in frustration.

~~~

Maria couldn't sleep that night. She was woken with the sound of Newt's mumbling.

"Couldn't sleep, I guess?" She asked. This time he didn't look away.

"Yeah." He said and smiled with his teeth, so did she.

She held his hand for a sign of sympathy. "They'll be alright. Things are different now." She said looking back at the Homestead.

"I hope so." He said, putting his other hand over hers.

"Come on. Cheer up, Newt." She said smiling.

"Smile? At a time like this?" His voice grew a bit louder. They saw Gally flinch at the sudden noise. They chuckled at the sudden response of his body.

"Just a bit, Newt. Just a little bit." She pinched his cheeks but his lips didn't move a muscle.

"A kiss on the lips maybe?" He said teasing her.

"In your dreams shuckface." Maria said earning a laugh from Newt.

"Shut your pie holes you piece of klunks." Someone said and Maria suppressed her laugh. Silence came in between them then, suddenly, Newt stood up.

"Well, you better get your beauty sleep now."

"Ack. Beauty sleep." She mimicked. "Looks like the other Greenie's getting it. Goodnight Newt." She said after playfully elbowing him.

~~~

After the night, Maria woke up early for any sign of Minho, Alby, and Thomas (as she heard from Newt who told her he doesn't like being called a Greenie).

She saw Frypan by the kitchen and greeted him. "Hey, Frypan."

"Mornin' Maria." He served her plate to bet by sliding it across the table. "Classic Sunny side up."

"Thank you." She smoothly said.

As Maria ate the thought of Minho and the others being dead came across her mind. She couldn't help but feel guilty about her eating Frypan's cooking while they suffer from the depressing area of the maze with the Grievers in it.

"Bland?" Frypan asked about the food.

She pulled an encouraging deep beneath her thoughts. "Are you kidding me? It's so good." She stuffed her mouth and food and gave a thumbs up and Frypan smiled.

"I can't say that they'll be alright Maria but all we have to do is hope for the best." He gave a sympathetic smile and she gave back one.

"Here come the others." Frypan said and after a moment she felt a hand on both of shoulders coming from two different people.

"'Sup." She held her hand for a five to her right and Winston held his fist and slammed it into her palm.

"It's harvest day Maria and we could use some helping hand today." Winston said.

"Oh please. I am so glad to help. Anything just to get my mind out of that stinking maze." Said Maria.

~~~

Maria got the last basket of the harvested beet.

"Maria! You forgot this last bit." She turned around and a medium sized beet was thrown into her face.

"Thanks for the really nice aim, shuck." She told Winston and carried the basket to Frypan's kitchen.

"Need a help?" She heard Chuck's voice and smiled.

She thought twice about the offer but she eventually obliged. "Yeah. Sure." She helped Chuck by carrying the right handle and walked to Frypan's area.

They heard the grumbling sounds of the doors opening and, immediately, Maria turned her attention to the West Door only to find the shape of two people running. She dropped the basket, making Chuck fall so did the turnips.

"I'll get back to this later. You can leave it here Chuck." She told him. Before Chuck could respond, she broke into a run to meet the approaching Runners.

She squeezed herself into the crowd forming at the Door. She saw Minho with the Greenie but without any sign of Alby.

"Get out here you shucks! Don't you have some sloppin' to do?" Newt shouted and eventually everyone cleared the way.

He saw Minho looking exhausted and drained but she hugged him, anyway. "I thought you were dead." She whispered as she broke into tears.

Minho hugged her back and stroked her hair as he comforts her. "Well, you better get some rest." She said and let him go.

"I'll get you some food and I'll prepare your clothes."

"No. Don't. Don't worry about me. I'm fine." He smiled. "We're fine." He looked at Thomas and threw a polite smile.

"Minho." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I just can't stand here working my butt when I know you're in hurt. I-I just-"

"Maria. Please. I don't want you worrying because of me being worried about you." Somehow Maria smiled and didn't argue she knew what Minho was probably feeling so she just made her thoughts slide.

"Fine but if you need me I'll be at the Map Room." Minho kissed her forehead and went to the Map Room.

Maria wasn't looking anything or even on plotting revenge on the Grievers, that would be insanely stupid but instead, she just roamed around the room with worry while glancing at the Homestead for any sign for the girl. She turned her back on the map and sighed. Maria decided to finally let it go. Her chest felt lighter as she cried. She slid her back at the wall as she sat on the ground. She heard voices outside so she lowered her cry of pain. She was so confused now. Angry at the maze. At the Creators. But being angry wouldn't do her good. Voices outside the Map room grew louder so she stopped crying but she remained on the floor, confused, desperate, and angry.


	2. CATCH

**chapter 2. CATCH**

The walls were open and the skies were gray. Maria was uncomfortable with everything. The Grievers that could attack them at any moment and the skies that could swallow them into darkness. Maria was in a separate room with the boys. She wanted to be with them. She was terrified but she thought of the girl in the Slammer, she felt sorry for her.

It may have been hours or minutes, Maria could not tell but she tried a lot of things to distract her mind from those bugging Grievers. She thought of happen moments with the boys in the Glade but in a place like this, you could only count a few ones.

Her thoughts flew to her family outside. She thought of that could be doing right now. Were they weeping because of her lost presence? Have they gone mad? Were they dead?

She was happy to listen on the distracting noise that came from outside but the sound itself wasn't happy. She, then, heard a sound of crashing into the other room. It was the voice of Gally.

"They'll kill you!" Gally said and his piercing scream came. Maria soon realized the sound of the mechanical whirring of the Grievers. Terrified of the sound, she went to the darkest corner of the room to hide. The wall separating her room from the boys' room crumbled down. She saw the boys running outside and the Grievers going to her direction. Her instinct was to scream but before it got over her, her feet were already running just as Minho pulled her away.

"GO TO THE KITCHEN AND STAY THERE!" Minho shouted.

"MINHO WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" She shouted back.

"JUST DO WHAT YOU WERE TOLD!" Minho shouted, frustrated and ran to the nearest bush near the walls.

"MINHO!" Maria yelled back.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT THERE YOU SHUCK FACE? GET IN HERE"' Winston shouted from the kitchen and she ran as she watched the Greenie go for the Grievers.

She reached the kitchen and hid with Winston. "What the hell is that klunk doing?! Is he trying to get himself killed or something?"

The Greenie--Thomas--made it at the center of the Grievers' herd. She watched as the Greenie dodged every attack of the Griever but she couldn't understand why he was chasing the needle of the Griever.

The Grievers huddled closer and Maria was already up on her feet but Winston stopped her pushing her from her stomach. "Sit. Down." He sternly said.

The Grievers eventually left, leaving the poor boy on the ground. Maria heard the heavy footsteps of someone running and she saw that it was Minho. She ignored him but she was mad at his sudden decision to head to the maze and follow the Grievers. She ran up to the poor boy instead and put his head on her lap.

"He was stung. The med-jacks. Hurry!" Maria was panicking. She was already used to this Griever situation but something inside her made everything this boy important.

"Maria. They'll take care of him. Let's help with the cleanup." Newt said but she was too lost to compose herself. Newt helped her up and she gave him a smile. She walked up to the front of the door, a few feet away, waiting for Minho with worry still over her. She could feel the tears coming out so she bowed down her head and noticed her hand shaking. Suddenly someone touched it and hugged her. It was Minho.

"Shh. Shh. Stay at the Homes-" Minho said and Maria looked up.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! RUNNING INSIDE THE MAZE WITH THOSE MONSTERS?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Minho suddenly lets go, annoyed.

"I'm not having this conversation." Minho said and walked away. Maria did too and walked to the remains of the Homestead. She heaved a sigh and sat down on a boulder. Her shaky hands, that's what she first noticed. She felt pity for herself and every one of them in the Glade. She heard the muttering of the girl from the Slammer but she ignored her. She calmed her again

Minho let out a small smile. "Just get some rest, kiddo." He took her hands. "Please."

Somehow Minho's presence made Maria calmer but with different thoughts of the Maze bombarding her, it was quite a challenge to stay composed.

Maria ran along to the remains of the Homestead and watched the boys from there. She heard the muttering of the girl from the Slammer but she ignored her but then, again, she decided she needed some company so she transferred from her place to the Slammer.

"Hey." Maria said to the girl.

The girl glared at her but she insisted her hospitality by opening the door. The girl went outside and thanked her.

"So how's the stay?" Maria opened up despite the negative answer she knows she'll give.

"Besides the confusion and isolation in this slaughterhouse? Fine. All good." Maria let out a sheepish laugh.

"Sorry. It's just how things run in here."

"Is this how you were welcomed before?" The girl asked.

Maria let out a small laugh at the memory. "Nobody talked to me for a few months when I arrived. Makes you want to pull your hair out." 

Teresa stared blankly at her.

"One night, I climbed up the walls to sacrifice myself to the Grievers but the damn vines got me: twisted my ankle and made me lost my balance. I guess that's why Newt talked to me, we're both limps." She, then, smiled. "I've grown fond of the place since then. I don't know if there's still something for me out there, but at least, here, I've got a home."

Teresa nodded not looking at her. In front of them, everything's a mess. The boys were recovering some bodies, the others cleaning up the debris the Grievers left. With the gray skies, it gave off a sentimental filter. Everything seemed so empty.

"I'm sorry." She turned to her. "Everything's going to change, and I'm sorry."

Maria was puzzled. "Everything changes when a Greenie pops up. We always thrive."

"I'm sorry." Teresa said once more. Maria observed her, confused. Teresa's face has worry painted on her face. Her eyes stared back at Maria as if about to cry.

"Gathering. Now." Minho's voice came from behind. "Leave the Greenie." He said, referring to Teresa.

"I'll just tell you everything." She smiled at Teresa and ran to the Gathering with Minho. On the way, she couldn't help but think if Teresa knew a thing that was happening.

"This is bad." She said to herself when she heard the noise from the outside.

It was a mess. The gathering. Everyone was frantically screaming and cussing asking what was wrong. She felt Minho's hand touch hers. She looked at him; he gave her a nod, telling her everything was going to be okay. She squeezed his hand and nodded.

"Alright you shuckfaces!" Newt yelled and the crowd silenced. The gathering began when Minho stepped in.


	3. BLEED

**chapter 3. BLEED**

Thomas went through the Changing for three days. After that, it took him another three days to turn the Glade against a fight none knew about. First, he breaks the identity crisis everyone has been having ever since everyone's arrivals; second, he presents himself as a beacon of hope after saying that the maze is impossible to solve; and third, he has somehow convinced most of the Gladers to go to the Griever Hole.

Maria almost went through a changing in those days as well. Thomas's answer about her identity brought more questions than answers, confusing her about the life she was living. It brought her another question: Was it worth risking everything she had right now for the uncertainty outside? Because she was sure as hell that losing a leg was worth finding a home in the Glade, is it the same outside the walls?

Maria walks to the gardens to approach Alby. "We still getting something?"

"I think this'll be the last harvest. Without the sun, everything..." He gestures to the plants. "But we'll manage, we still have stocks from Teresa's arrival."

The thought of hunger getting to them first than the Grievers scared her a little which Alby must've sensed with her silence.

"Look, I know things around here are not what they were back then but trust me when I say that it's safer here than outside." Alby looked shaken.

Maria placed her hand on Alby's shoulder. "I believe you." She said and Alby's body seemed to relax.

"I can't remember the things that went through my head during the Changing." Maria's ears perked up, Alby rarely touches this topic when talking to her. "But I remember how it felt, it always felt like a losing a battle, meeting a dead end."

"I'm with you Alby but how is this any different than what's outside?" Maria asked.

"Family, Maria. We don't know if there's still something out there for us. The Creators put us here for a reason. May it be a test or just some cruel torture, but it protects us from whatever's out there. You know that I'm right, right?" Maria's thoughts drifted to the first time she came to the Glade.

Sure, the first memory she had here was laced with sadness but Alby was right: they have a family here. Weighing the pros and cons, they have something worth staying than worth returning to-- if their's something to return to outside.

Maria looked back at Alby and smiled. "I wish these were the words you told Minho; would've changed his mind, you know?"

"We both know he wouldn't listen to me." Alby laughed. "You're the only one who could make him listen."

"I-" Maria opened her mouth to protest but Alby cut him.

"You were the only one who was able to pull Minho and me when we got into a fight that time."

"Yeah. Because I went in between you two, you can't hit anyone who stops a fight. It's an unwritten rule." Maria retorted.

"Keep telling that to yourself. And to Newt." Alby said to prove a point. He referred to the time Alby and Minho had a different fight; the one when they came up with the Banishment. "You should've seen the look on his face when you got out of the Slammer. The Minho who we thought was stoic was a shucking loser in front of a girl."

"Well, what can I say, I have a thing for losers." Maria admittedly said. "And apparently, for people who can stomach Newt's special drink. Every bonfire, he took one for me. I was almost convinced that Newt was trying to poison me." Maria replayed the memories in her head and smiled. Those days were all long gone, whatever memory of happiness they had was now replaced with anxiety from the impending doom they were in.

"Time flies when you're having fun, but now, time's just a luxury we don't have, not even for fun." Alby handed her a basket of their harvest and ordered her to bring them to Frypan. "For tonight's dinner."

Maria nodded. "Needed a friend today, thanks, Alby."

"It's okay; needed the talk as well. Another turnip on the head would've made me nuts." Maria laughed and headed to Frypan's kitchen. While walking, Maria looked at the Glade, observing what everyone was doing.

A group of Runners charged through the doors at the north, they have been making multiple rounds ever since Thomas saw the letters in the Maps. Only a handful of people knew it. It was evident in the way people carried out their works and chores. They were oblivious to the brewing plan in the Map Room. Besides the ominous gray sky above, everything seemed normal, like it was just another normal day for everyone.

"Another batch, chef." Maria places the basket of sweet potatoes on the counter. Frypan took the basket and thanked her. "Have you seen, Minho?"

"Must be in the Map Room. Dinner in 45." Maria smiled at him as a thank you and walked to the Map Room.

The shuffles of papers and murmurs from inside the room can be heard a few meters outside. Maria knew she'd be breaking a momentum once she enters but if she wanted to stay in the Glade, that's enough to do it. She opened the door but none of the people inside tore their eyes away from the mess of a room they were in.

"Maria, can you please trace this?" Minho handed her pieces of papers but he didn't look at her. She took the papers but was baffled how Minho knew it was her.

She looked at the people in the room. Newt, Maria, and Thomas, all of them busy. Brows furrowed, lips bitten, and hands scribbling.

"No one else just enters the door without knocking, aside from you and Alby." Minho handed her a pencil and looked at her, a visual question if she was alright. She smiled as an assurance. Minho returned to her work while she stacked the papers together and placed them into the light, revealing the letter F.

"This one just says 'T.'" She says to Minho who passes the papers to Teresa.

"We're done." Teresa says and the other huddle around her and converses with each other. Maria catches words in their talk but doesn't mind as she tries to piece everything she wants to say to Minho.

"We need to have a final scout on the maze, maybe there's something we missed out." Thomas says and the others agree.

"Newt, round the other Runners up." Minho started to order. "Teresa, you need to come with us in case you remember something; Thomas, you know what to do; Maria-"

"I was actually wondering if I could talk to you. That's why I came here." Maria's voice started to falter. She felt intimidated by the atmosphere as if she was going against the waves of the tide.

Minho looked at Newt, Teresa, and Thomas. "The plan's still the same; Thomas, lead the rounds; wait for the last one that just went out." 

Thomas nods and heads out of the Map Room while Newt and Teresa follow. Maria waits for the door to close then turns to Minho.

Minho took a crate for each of them to sit in but none of them sat down and before Maria could articulate her thoughts, Minho suddenly apologized.

"It's been days, I know. I'm sorry, but we're so close. We can finally get out of this hell hole." Minho smiles and Maria's heart tugs. It was a smile of hope; his eyes gleamed with sincerity. It pained her to say things against his own vision and mission but she wanted to make a point because she knew she had a say on this.

"What if it's another false hope?" Maria asked and Minho's face was back to being wary. "Think of this, Minho; we already have something here. We have food, we have a home, we have a family." She knew her argument was already flawed with the food situation but she hoped for the best. "Isn't it enough?"

Minho stayed quiet. She couldn't read his expressions-- his eyes that stared blankly into hers so he took his hands. "What if these walls were meant to protect us? You heard Thomas, we're part of a test. A test for what? It means something's wrong outside the walls Minho."

"You don't get it." Minho shook Maria's hands and avoided her gaze. His voice sounded disappointed. "It's not about proving something, it's about freedom."

"I have you, you have me. What's not to get? I'm just afraid of what out there for us. It's too uncertain, I don't even know if there's going to be an us out there." 

Minho brought his gaze back to her. "I know you're afraid, Maria." Maria didn't openly admit it to herself but hearing the statement was triggering her a wave of emotions and tears. "But like you said, I have you, you have me and it is enough. I've stayed too long inside these shucking walls. But by some miracle or mistake, you came here and you made me want to get out of here because I wanted to show you the world." 

Maria turned her back as soon as her tears fell down. "Yes, I'm afraid. But this is my world Minho, and we both built it together." She wipes her tears and turns to Minho after taking a sigh. Talking about this subject to Minho was already a fail from the start. All those days and months of stealing glances at him, he was always somewhere deep in the maze, learning its secrets, even when he's not there running and looking for a way out.

"But I'm ready to give it up and make another world. Just, please," Maria tried to suppress her tears by smiling. "Just tell me a reason why I should surrender everything."

Minho took her hands and kissed it. "There's no world out there without you. I know we made one in here but I want to give us the best chance of seeing a world where I can see the sun rise and watch the stars under the sky with you. I want to build a world where we actually become a part of it."

Maria's eyes welled up with tears and Minho hugged her. They stayed like that for a minute until Minho kissed the top of her head.

A knock comes from the door, then a voice. "Dinner in 20!"

"We'll be out!" Minho shouts back then they both laugh.


	4. DEATH

**chapter 4. DEATH**

Every day was a ticking time bomb for Maria; counting the days when they finally leave the place was tearing her insides. Except the ticking bomb wasn't just a bomb, it was also an alarm clock for today was the day they would finally leave.

Maria helped Newt and Minho with the Gathering. It served as a final goodbye to those who were choosing to stay and an ultimatum to those still indecisive of their choices. She was looking at Alby most of the time to read his thoughts, while he avoided her eyes. Alby didn't take it too well when she told her decision about going to the other side. 

It was hard to tell what time it was but the grumbling in her stomach told her it was lunch, but then again, her stomach would demand food every hour. She walks to Frypan's kitchen and sat. She watched Frypan pack the food that they would need for the trip. No one knew how long it would take them to get outside except for Minho and his newly formed elite troop, in which Maria was not included in.

"Here you go." Frypan slides her a serving of mashed potato. 

"I'm not here for this." She laughs it off. 

"Ever since Minho got out off the maze, I knew whatever's inside you has been eating you; you wouldn't even come here for some extras."

"Yeah, well, I was just worried. Really, worried." I was about to chat with him once more but decided to leave, afraid of slowing him down.

"I better share this with Minho. Thanks again."

I spot him in his hammock at the Homestead, staring into nothing, probably thinking back the plans once again. 

"You mind sharing this with me?" I pull a chair beside him but he scoots and gestures for me to sit beside him.

"I'm ready to get out of here." He takes a spoonful and nods to himself, satisfied. "Finally."

I look at him and saw no hint of sadness or any negativity. I look at his eyes and see that it's different when he's with me; it's not tense. His forehead doesn't crease, eyebrows not knitted, lips not pinned on a line.

He looks at me as if waiting for an answer. "Yeah." I say but I knew I was lying to myself. "I'll miss this ratty place even though I felt like a prisoner here."

"Thank you." He suddenly says. "I know you're still not convinced about any of these. I know it's hard, especially when you didn't trust any of us when you came here. I know how hard it is for you, and I'm sorry for making you go through all of these again. But unlike before, you won't be alone anymore because I'm already here."

"You're right I'm still 50-50 about all of these, I don't know when I'll actually make it to a hundred. But, thank you." I hold his hand out and chuckles. "And we won't die okay? You sound like you're practicing for an elegy."

"Can I get one? You know, it might make me inspired."

"You'll get it when we're outside."

"Come on. I went inside the maze, nearly died, and went back in alive. I didn't even get your kiss as a prize." He reasoned while taking a scoop at the mashed potatoes, at this point, he was the only engulfing the food.

"This coming from the same guy who said a few months ago 'I don't run outside the walls for you, missy.'" I brought back a memory from one of our first meetings and he turns to me with one of his brows raised.

"I did not call you missy." He defends.

"It's been ingrained in my mind, and whatever, you were a jerk back then to me." I steal the spoon from his hand eat my share from the mashed potato.

"Well, what would be your response to a person who orders you to take a different path, literally, and tells you that you're not doing your job right? Plus you broke into the map room, which was a violation."

"There are two of loopholes there, okay? One being, you discovered two sections thanks to me and the other being I didn't know it was a violation because no one talked to me, remember?" I argued but Minho said nothing, he just smiled.

"I missed this. It's probably just been a year or a few months but we were naive back then; the things we know didn't even bother us back then. It's just crazy."

"You always manage to reminisce when we talk, you notice that?" I laughed. "Where's all of these coming from? Your arm muscles?"

"And you have a knack for ruining the sentimentality." I shrugged and he just smiled.

We both watch the boys in front of us, it was obvious who was staying and leaving since the ones leaving were still doing their chores while the ones leaving were huddled near the gates. After we finish our mashed potato, we walk near the North Gate and help with the packing.

Minho nods at Newt as we approach him. It was driving me insane how they seem to have their own telepathic language that I didn't know but then again so did they with Thomas. 

"We need to leave before the Grievers huddle us again." Thomas tells Minho.

I hold Minho's hand before I walk to the other group who were preparing our bags. Minutes later, Frypan comes in with the packed lunches.

"You think we're going to be okay out there?" Chuck asked me. He was the youngest of us and I wanted to sugarcoat my words but we were scared shitless and there was no point lying to him.

"If I say yes, would that make you feel at ease?" I ask.

"If you give me a reasonable explanation, I might." 

"If that's the case, then I'm not the one you're looking for, kid." I say.

"Thomas, says otherwise, and I believe him. Our parents could still be outside Maria, think about it." He looked at me with the same hope Minho has. 

"There's nothing to think about when you don't remember anything." I say but Chuck just stares at me. "But it'd be fun to make new memories and know more about them, huh?" I ask and he smiles. 

"Yeah, I agree. It's really time to leave this shucking place." I laugh at his comment, his use of shuck sounded uncomfortable even though he 's added it to his vocabulary.

"Grab everything you can get a hold of, we need to get out of here." Newt ordered us. As we grab our backpacks, we watch the others retreat back to the homestead while the others towards the woods.

I feel Minho's hand by my elbow. He practically drags me in front of the crowd as we head our way outside the maze. 

It's now or never.

Going outside the maze became a blur. My mind went blank, and my body was on its own, mindlessly walking the paths out of the maze. Minho was holding me the rest of the time, keeping me behind him while he followed Thomas and Teresa. I checked behind us and I see Chuck and the others. Alby was also there, surprisingly and clearly panicking. 

The closest thing I've been out of the maze was when I climbed the walls. I saw its twist and turns reaching out as far as my eyes can see. I remembered the overwhelming feeling that filled me that night. And it was happening all over again. Minho tugged me and I was brought back to reality. I stumbled and quickly got up to not slow them down. My heart was surprisingly racing but I wasn't feeling tired. 

We stop at an intersection and hid by the wall. I don't notice where we were and that oblivion was enough to send my anxiety on overdrive. Minho leaves my side, along with Alby, to talk with Thomas, Teresa, and Newt. I ask for some water to drink and close my eyes. There are noises around me but I don't pay attention until I hear Minho's.

"Maria." I heard him say.

I open my eyes and I see sweat trickle on his sides and forehead. He didn't look tired either but he looked confident for some reason.

"I'm here." I smile. "Listen, I know I have to make this quick. Anything can happen and I just want to tell you that I'm thankful in every bit inside this shucking maze. Remember that, okay?"

We heard faint grunts and scratches of the pavement to our right, the door outside of the maze. Everyone turned their heads out of fear. We're all afraid at this point that none of us felt like speaking.

"Minho, we have to charge, it's our only way outside." Thomas says, breaking the silence.

We all broke into a run inside the dark hallway, it was eerily quiet until we heard the Griever behind us. It started attacking. We held our own weapons and dodged its piercer but it took some of us one by one. 2 more Grievers appeared by our side and surrounded us. I see Thomas run ahead as this was all happening. Teresa, Newt, and Minho all follow but they get left behind when the third Griever blocked them. 

I threw the bottle I was holding at the Griever to distract it and it hit its face. It turned to me and screeched angrily.

"Shuck." I muttered, totally scared. "Run!" The three of them did and so did the Griever, the only difference being the Griever went to my direction. I picked up a bloody spear and dodged its arms that almost got me from behind. At the corner of my eyes, I see a one Griever fall over the edge and hear a human scream along with the fall. The others help me in killing the thing in front of me. It finally went down when someone climbed up its head and pierced it with a stick. 

"Leave it!" Newt shouted. We saw the doors in front us almost close so I drag the others to make a run to Thomas and the others.

"It won't make it through the doors; go!" I run as soon as all of them made it past me, which was fewer than what we had before.

Behind me, I felt the Griever's steps get heavier. I started to scream as I run, with the Griever's breath quite literally behind me. I reached out my hand when I see Minho near the almost shut door. He makes a run for me and pushes me in front of him making me fall into the concrete past the doors.

He hugs me tight as soon as we enter. After the fight, I let myself fall into his body and that's when I felt all of the pain in my body.

I cry. "It hurts." 

"I know, everything will be alright." Minho says but I still felt the searing pain.

"She's been stung." Teresa says. My legs get weak as soon as I heard it and suddenly, the pain felt more vivid and more real.

I cry more since I knew what it meant for us.

"Serum! Now!" Minho said and everyone starts searching into their bags. 

"The other kid's got it, it went down with him." Someone said, I couldn't decipher who owned the voice.

"I thought I got that shuck thing a while ago. I'm sorry." I said to Minho but his eyes quickly wells up with tears. "You have to go. Leave me."

He shakes his head as his tears stream down his face. "I'm sorry."

"I'm proud of you. I loved you, okay? I will always love you. Don't blame yourself." I say. I feel everything change and alter on my surroundings so I held his face to memorize the curves of it.

"If I just knew this would happen, I'm so sorry." He said in between cries. 

I feel my body giving up. I knew what's going to happen so with the remaining strength, I straighten my body. "I really wish I can kiss you right now, but you have to go to." I take off his arms away from me. I look at Newt who had tears on the corner of his eyes as well. 

"I'll see you on the other side?" I say, my hands still on his face. "I love you, now go."

"I lo-" was the only thing I heard from Minho.


End file.
